Miles River Fish ID

Type: Tidal
Region: Eatern
Location: Miles River

I caught this fish this past weekend off of my dock in St. Michaels on the Miles River (Porter's Creek). I am not sure what kind it is (American Shad?). We almost always catch perch, bluefish, spot and rockfish, but never anything like this. Can you help identify? It was also hooked on the top in front of the dorsal fin and put up a good fight.

DNR Response: The fish in the picture is a gizzard shad and is a common forage fish found in the tidal rivers and creeks of the Chesapeake Bay. They are not edible but serve as an important food source for fish such as striped bass when the gizzard shad are juveniles and provide food for ospreys when they are adults.